Literary Festival enhances pupils’ love of books

Book-loving senior school pupils were treated to a number of talks and fun activities during this year’s Literary Festival.

Author visits

Award winning novelist and film-maker Matt Dickinson returned to the school to deliver a talk and take part in a number of classes.

He spoke to pupils in the Main Hall about his career and his books, including ‘The Everest Files’ trilogy and his novel ‘Lie Kill Walk Away’, before imparting his knowledge during geography and creative writing lessons.

He also presented Eloise Scott, Bella Platt and Daood Malik with his book ‘The North Face’ after their entries were selected following a creative writing task and he signed books purchased by pupils in the Library.

Author Sufiya Ahmed also visited the school where she spoke to second and fourth year pupils about her book ‘Secrets of the Henna Girl’.

Sufiya set up the BIBI Foundation, a non-profit organisation which arranges visits to the Houses of Parliament for diverse and underprivileged school children, and the pupils enjoyed hearing about her passion for writing and how she got into the industry.

Other Literary Festival events

As the Literary Festival took place during the same month as Valentine’s Day it was the perfect opportunity for fourth year pupils to take part in a book speed dating event where they moved around tables to discuss novels from different genres.

Pupils chose one book from each genre and by reading the synopsis and the first page they would talk to their partner about it and discuss if it would be a book they would love to read.

One set of books that are a big favourite of our pupils is the Harry Potter series and the boys and girls were able to celebrate the franchise as part of the Harry Potter Book Night celebrations. The Library was turned into Hogwarts and pupils took part in a number of wizard themed activities to test their knowledge of the fantasy novels.

Finally, The Read 2017, a reading initiative for lower school pupils organised by librarians from several secondary schools in Stockport, is continuing at full pace.

Our pupils are taking part in ‘The Big 5’ category of the initiative where pupils who sign up are challenged to read the five shortlisted novels and vote for their favourite.

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